F1 star Paul Di Resta to appear at Autosport International 2012

Force India driver Paul Di Resta, has confirmed his appearance at Autosport International 2012. Di Resta will be on-hand to meet fans, sign autographs and take part in the show’s Live Action Arena, which features breathtaking stunts and demonstrations As the second half of the 2011 Formula One season gets underway, the latest Brit on the grid, Force India driver Paul Di Resta, has confirmed his appearance at Autosport International 2012.

In his debut F1 season, Di Resta has caught everyone’s attention with his strong qualifying performances and drives, establishing his potential as a future World Champion, following in the footsteps of fellow Britons Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button.

The Scotsman has already beaten more experienced drivers to score points in Australia, Malaysia and Hungary, where he clinched a career-best seventh place. He also thrilled home crowds at the British Grand Prix in July by securing an impressive sixth-place grid position in qualifying.

Di Resta’s ascension to Formula One follows a stunning 2010 season in which he clinched the DTM German Touring Car Championship, beating a talented international field featuring Vodafone McLaren Mercedes test driver Gary Paffett and ex-F1 racers Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard.

The Force India driver will be a star attraction at the world’s greatest motorsport show, which takes place at the Birmingham National Exhibition Centre on 12-15 January 2012.

Not only will he give live interviews on the Autosport Stage throughout the weekend (14-15 January), Di Resta will be on-hand to meet fans, sign autographs and take part in the show’s Live Action Arena, which features breathtaking stunts and demonstrations.

Di Resta will also be appearing at the F1 Racing Grid, a superb display of Grand Prix machinery raced by today’s Formula One pilots.

“Britain has the best motorsport fans in the world, and I’m thrilled that I’ll have the opportunity to meet some of my supporters at Autosport International,” said Di Resta. “I used to visit the show in my early career to see my heroes on the stage, so it’s a real honour to now be among those drivers.”

News from - http://www.forceindiaf1.com/index/page_id/356/news_id/644

What is Lokpal Bill?

The Lokpal is a proposed body to be enacted as a law by Parliament, which will be headed by a chairperson who is or was a Chief Justice of India and eight other members.

The Lokpal Bill, an effort to rein in the pervasive corruption in public life, was first mooted in the late 60s, However, it failed to become law despite successive attempts.

The basic idea of the Lokpal is borrowed from the office of the ombudsman in other countries. It provides for filing complaints of corruption against ministers and members of parliament with the ombudsman.

The government's Lokpal Bill has kept the Prime Minister and the judiciary as well as conduct of MPs in Parliament out of the ambit of the anti-corruption watchdog. The PM, however, will come under the purview of Lokpal after he demits office.

The bill gives permission to Lokpal to probe any Union minister or officials of Group 'A' and above rank without any sanction.

According to the government's draft, the body will have a chairperson and eight members, including four judicial members - who will be former or sitting judges of Supreme Court or chief justices of the high court.

The Lok Ayuktas in the states does not come under the purview of this bill as the Centre cannot intervene in the powers of the state.

The Lokpal will have its own prosecution and investigation wing with officers and staff necessary to carry out its functions.

What is Anna Hazare and civil society's proposed Jan Lokpal Bill for which they are fighting for?

The Jan Lokpal Bill, also referred to as the citizens' ombudsman bill, is intended as a more effective improvement to the original Lokpal Bill that is currently being proposed by the the government. The prefix 'Jan' (citizens) has been added to highlight the fact that these improvements include inputs from ordinary citizens through an activist-driven, non-governmental public consultation.

The arguments given in favour of the Jan Lokpal Bill is that if made into a law, it will create an independent ombudsman body outside government control that will have the power to register and investigate complaints against politicians and public servants without the need to get a prior approval from the government. The proponents of Jan Lokpal Bill believe that it will effectively redress citizen's grievances, protect whistle-blowers and more importantly, deter corruption.

News from - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-18/india/29900237_1_lokpal-bill-ombudsman-corruption-in-public-life

Farmers to buy tickets and disrupt F1 race

GREATER NOIDA: A couple of days after sponsors of the Formula One race announced that tickets would soon be put up for sale, agitating farmers along the Yamuna expressway have yet again threatened to disrupt the event if their demands are not met by the Authority. Farmers have indicated that they will purchase the F1 racing tickets to get access to the stadium and will hold Kabaddi and wrestling matches inside it.

Speaking to TOI, Dehat Morcha secretary general Dr Rupesh Verma said that this was decided between farmers of 30 villages along the Yamuna Expressway during a panchayat held along with and other farmers' organizations. In the panchayat, it was decided by the farmers that they will now start getting teams ready to contest in kabaddi and wrestling matches inside the stadium before the F1 race begins.

Verma said the reason behind the idea is that playgrounds and land were "snatched" from farmers in the name of land acquisition and now the younger generation has no space for organizing such events. "Earlier, events like kabaddi, wrestling, kho-kho, etc, were the main sources of entertainment and fitness of villagers. But now the younger generation has no space to continue the legacy as their land has been acquired by the Authority and sold to builders in the name of public utility projects," Verma added.

The farmers in the panchayat also chalked out a comprehensive plan as to how they would disturb the F1 race that is to be held in October in the stadium in Dankaur area. "We will purchase the tickets and disrupt the race if our demands are not met before the event," said farmer leader Manjeet Pradhan. "Why should we have a clash with security forces when we can enter the venue easily and play spoilsport," he added.

The farmers have borrowed this idea from farmers of Gautam Budh Nagar and Jat community bodies who had planned to buy tickets for the Commonwealth Games held in Delhi last year. The farmers had been agitating for reservation under the OBC category and had warned that they would disrupt the Games at different venues.

This is not the first time that farmers have threatened to hamper the race or damage the track. On May 6, a day before the clash between security forces and farmers in Bhatta-Parsaul, agitating farmers had turned violent and held hostage employees of Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation. The farmers had threatened to dig up the racing track after setting the UPSRTC bus on fire.

In January 2010, relocation of cremation ground, which was in use by three local villages — Atta Gujraan, Gunapura and Mirjapur in Greater Noida — had slowed down the pace of construction of the F1 track.

News from - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-08-25/noida/29926513_1_farmer-leader-yamuna-expressway-formula-one-race

In 2011, Greater Noida on Formula One circuit

India will host its first Formula 1 Grand Prix on October 30, 2011. The announcement came following an extraordinary meeting of the World Motor Sport Council in Paris on Wednesday. The addition of an Indian GP to the F1 calendar will make 2011 a 20-race season, the longest in the history of the sport.

According to FIA deadlines, the track needs to be completed by July 30 and it will get a go-ahead subject to FIA homologation.

The 5.14-km track, located on the outskirts of Greater Noida (35km from Delhi) is being built by Noida-based Jaypee Sports International (JPSI) and is designed by German racetrack designer Hermann Tilke, who has designed F1 circuits in Malaysia, Bahrain, China, Turkey, UAE and South Korea.

According to Mark Hughes, vice-president (operations) of JPSI, the track will be among the top five in the world as far as average speed is concerned. The average time per lap is expected to be around 1 minute 24 seconds. The track will have straights, quick corners and elevation changes. Hughes assured that the track would be ready by May 31.

FIA delegates will then inspect the safety conditions of the circuit along with the nature of the track surface. The track, which is being built at a cost of $350 million, will have a spectator capacity of 1-1.2 lakh and won't be restricted to Formula 1 races. It's being built to accommodate MotoGP and Superbike races as well.

Indian F1 driver Karun Chandhok said the announcement will provide a major boost to Indian motorsports. "With the Indian GP, more people in India will have access to not only F1 but motorsports in general. For me personally, it will be thrilling to be on the grid and hear the Indian national anthem before the start of the Grand Prix."

Former F1 driver Narain Karthikeyan said that the track at Noida will prove to be a catalyst to Indian motorsports, similar to what Sepang was to Malaysia. "I am very happy and excited by the announcement. To have an Indian team on an Indian circuit will be a treat for home fans. This will also ensure participation of the automotive sector in motorsports," Karthikeyan said.

According to Hughes, ticket prices will be affordable and have different grades. Tickets will go on sale from January next year.

Among the various features of the track is the main grandstand that can seat 30,000 people.

"It's a monumental task, and work is under way at a staggering pace. Hold on to your holiday programmes for next year, for Greater Noida might just be the place to visit in October for an adrenaline-induced weekend," said Hughes.

News from - http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-09-09/racing/28227705_1_indian-f1-fia-motorsports

Foods that change your mood

How many times have you found yourself burrowing into the very bottom of a Baskin Robbins tub after a bad breakup? Or caught your gob stuffed with a burger in the middle of a stressful day? Food might not fill that void in your heart, but it can help you perk up enough to pick up the pieces of a shattered heart or the yellings of an erratic employer to start afresh.

The bottom line: Good food gives you hope. You just need to eat the right kind." The key to understanding the connection between the food we eat and our mood and levels of alertness lies in knowing about how the brain functions," says consultant neurologist Dr Rajesh Kumar, Rockland Hospitals, New Delhi.

"The brain communicates by chemical substances passed from one nerve cell to the next. These chemicals, called neurotransmitters, are made in the brain from the food we eat. The neurotransmitters that are most sensitive to diet and influential in affecting the mood are serotonin, nor epinephrine and dopamine."

Dopamine and nor epinephrine are alertness chemicals to help us think and react faster or get motivated. Serotonin is a calming chemical to dissipate stress and tension.

Foods that cure depression

Tuna
A study in the Alternative Medicine Review found a fifth of depressed people lack B6. And there's nothing fi shy about this bit: "Tuna supplies approximately 60 per cent of your daily allowance of B6," says New Delhi-based nutritionist Dr Sonia Kakar.

Dark chocolate
Chalk one up for chocolate: "It releases pleasure enhancing endorphins into the brain and contains phenyl ethylamine, a stimulant associated with love," says Dr Kumar. The higher the cocoa content, the better you feel. So head for the darkest.


Hummus
Pack on muscle with a smile: High in protein and fibre, hummus helps avoid blood sugar fluctuations with a slow, sustained release of glucose into the blood stream. "Depression and mood swings are related to poor blood sugar control, so scarf this now!" says Dr Kakar.

Walnuts
These nuts will put a smile on your dial. "They're an excellent source of Omega-3s which help brain cells and mood-lifting neurotransmitters function properly," says Ritika Samaddar, head of dietetics, Max Healthcare, New Delhi.

Foods that up your sex drive

Bananas
Not only do they sport a happy colour, they also contain vitamin B6 that ups serotonin levels. Apart from this, they contain an alkaloid bufotenine that ups your sex drive. Feeling happier reading this aren't you?

Chilli
If your relationship's facing a libido-level slump, spice it up, literally! Chilli's capsaicin content gets the heart pumping, triggering reactions as sweaty and similar to when you're having sex. Instead of a pungent dish, try Lindt's Chilli chocolate to really heat up your nights.

Almonds
"Almonds are often associated with health, but most of us don't know that they are packed with essential fats that regulate prostaglandins, required for the production of sex hormones," saysSamaddar.

Vanilla
According to Chicago's Smell and Taste Treatment Research Foundation, vanilla can boost penile blood flow. So bury into a tub before date night, not post breakup!

Foods that soothe rage

Watermelon
This juicy fruit contains citrulline and arginine, chemicals that trigger production of nitric oxide, a compound that relaxes your body's blood vessels. Watermelon is also reputed to be the only natural answer to Viagra. And you don't even need a prescription!

Ginseng tea
"Ginseng has been shown to improve the body's response to stress and decrease feelings of anxiety," says Dr Kakar. Sipping it slowly will also give you time to think over your initial reaction, which might have worse repercussions later.


Kidneys
Slip some into a mutton curry when you've banged your car on the way back home. A study in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience showed kidneys contain high levels of phosphatidylserine, which are associated with reducing stress levels and lifting mood.

Salmon
The omega-3 fatty acid in salmon, called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), isn't just good for your skin. Studies show people who eat ample amounts of DHA have a much lower incidence of depression, aggressiveness and hostility.

Foods that wake you up

Lemons
"Lemons have a wide variety of uses from curing asthma to liver stimulation, says Ekta Tandon, dietician at dailydiet. in. "To wake up, smell the fruit or lemon oil or suck on a lemon drop—it's an instant refresher, which is why it's a common base for room fresheners and scents.

Broccoli
This green contains boron, which is responsible for hand-eye co-ordination, attention and short-term memory. Boron-rich foods also maintain healthy bone and blood-sugar levels.


Apples
A recent Journal of Alzheimer's Disease research shows apples protect the brain from memory loss and senility due to their quercetin content. "They're almost as effective as caffeine as the fructose content doesn't bring you back to a slump like coffee would, says Dr Kakar.

Orange juice
"We eat oranges or drink OJ in the morning to wake us up, says Dr Kakar. "Oranges contain vitamin C that beats fatigue to keep us active throughout the day. Try eating one instead of drinking the juice to keep calories at bay.

News from - http://in.lifestyle.yahoo.com/foods-that-change-your-mood.html